Running engine in trailer position

After making sure I don't

After making sure I don't pull any of the boneheaded launching misstakes it seems the one thing I occasionaly forget is to put the outdrive back down before starting. I've never put it in gear up but was wondering how much stress this puts on the u-joint since both horizontal and vertical shafts are rotating. I'm probably never been much over idle when I pull this one.

"Did that once with an Alpha O

"Did that once with an Alpha One, and I never did it again! Thought the drivetrain was going to fly right out of the boat. But it survived it with no damage.

Here's what I do to prevent ooopps! like that on my far more complicated 32 footer: I made up a checklist (encased in plastic for obvious reasons). I have one for use before leaving the slip, going home, etc. and I go right down it, mentally checking off each item at a time.

You'd be amazed at how many things one can forget without making list!

Jeff"

Thanks for the reply. I think

Thanks for the reply. I think I need to talk to mercruiser to ask what they are try to get across in thier trim/tilt instructions. Mine is a 5.7L 2006 and they say you can trim past the trim range into the trailer position only if you stay under 1200 rpm for beaching/trailering ect. And thats in gear! Im trying to remember everything I forgot about sterndrives as I always owned or ran larger inboards in Alaska.

I doubt you did any harm. Guy&

I doubt you did any harm. Guy's trim the drives up all the time for getting up the river around here.
Of course they aren't running the drive all the way up but they do have them out pretty far. Since you turned it right off I wouldn't worry.
If the drives / U joints were damaged that easy Merc would be replacing the drives under warranty way to often from new boaters starting the engine with the drive up.

If you do not trust yourself you can always have the neutral safety switch wired into the trim sender so the starter will not operate with the drive up.

I had the same thought on the

I had the same thought on the Ujoint warranty issue. I suppose if you ran it to far out often you might create a problem with a wear point on your bellows. I don't think the trim limit switch has another set of contacts. But I'm probably better off just remembering its not a inboard than adding another permissive (failure point) for start. Thanks for the input.